The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-10-30
DIR. srrr1L AND an. nYDE
Svhss tie Aasss-'s Hscsa were IN Fashton-
lag this ntrn nre Tale.

lag this ntrn nre Tale.
What Robert Louis Stevenson thinks OF
| his story, "Dr. Jckyll and Mr.. HYDE" and OF
| the parts the dual hero Is mado to play In "the
drama OF the drugs" as displtused critics havo
called the stage version Of that story, must DO
essentially interesting TO people who havc road
! tho book and soon tho play. The opinions Of n
famous author about his own books arc always
| eagerly sought. Such opinions OF q genius
have high value stamped on thcm by hls sue
cess. Whom 80 rare genius and successful an
| author as Stevenson writes part OF HE own be-
| Ing into book and, perhaps unconsc.ously,
raises n monument to hin own fame and u tan
| talizlng problem OF tho power Of ain over tho
! soul OF man. HIS aitot ideas about the book and
| the problem acquire special interest and value
In reply to request for his views on that and
others OF his works, md on Mr.. Mansileld's
| dramatic Interpretation OF tho tale OF Hyde
| and Jekyll, Mr.. Stevenson has expressed some
| Of them in writing. The condition of his health
has prevented his being present at any per-
| formance of Mr.. 7. Russell Sullivan's play,
which Mr.. Richard Mansfield is now interpret
ing with such marked ability. But tho current
literature on tho book and tho drama has boon
amply accessible to him In tho newspapers
during his sojourn at Saranac Lake. He has
learned OF the critical estimate In some quar-
tors TINT DIR. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde "is an un.
natural and entirely .,unsympathetic story"
thu, psychological possibilities Of science" And
he has this TO say Of It:
such criticisms cannot foil to be suggestive
OF the braying OF asses"
But the writer's meant, probably this quite
book is ugly. and the aI!esory not lust enough
! to. tho modesty oftacts."
1t has been published that the conception
ombCdied III the talo was born Of dream
| which came to Mr. Stevenson under peculiar
eirSe!nmstanccs 20 many Inquiries wero made
OF its Influence on the story that he hns pro-
pared on tina, ,srecial subject, n magazine arti-
scripner within month or two. and will give
hstq yya Of h hesa Of By s Wsy
are on the very best terms with the British au-
| thor they have treated SO honofably, and will
s SON be in gosss,ssi0p of al the American
chased from, Dodd Mend i Co. the plates OF
Studies of Men and Books" and are in a fair
hfsoS The se p.y svs sdu% and
| his growing American audience. 1t Is in Men
Bo' s the tnor q Ghs New
of his wonderful prototype villon-prototypo
g. least IN h the oriTinty and "ntrammelsd
irto the sources OF that. marvellously graphic
tale. "A Lodging for the Night" There I'D
poetry and the great original Bohemian find
10 return to to the strnngc Tale" It is evil
IDENTITY reality and not dranm to the author.
| stand out before him ns men and have LONG
since taken in his mind other forms than tie
| sshadowy suggestions. of the vision. And
| Sttsyenson,s ileas OF these men appear very
seen on the stage The ,.c t. makes JekylI q
! melancholy. oppressed -lopking young doctor,
young In face and figure in, spite Of his cares.
| dwarfed and deformed In reality, and not
s slS.e in the trd he makes on The
OF s' Ills I8 n n1m Fts on fhs
roaders Of tho story. 10 the latter It is evil
port. whereas Hyae Is tho yoSnser Wickeder
side Of him; run wild, but s:iil Younger.
And It diffors Distinctly from Stcvenson's
e!s q But S % h tS s hs
yoa ware nyS Sss Of he
might retain tho handsome inatnres Of n iuve-
ey and or by M oy II
Hyde is. to steyenson's mind, no mere yo-
Ms and b o, cruelty
in what prurens fools cali immaorsIity The
critic, not because he was fond Of women: he
! says so himself.
m TnS tns ss wr arose in the
who saw The play must agree. that no such
and h5fbo as h ayae
enough to M h haze Ro ad q
10 an anthor whose mind was full OF higher.
aesnar IDEAS t Than any such as that It Is not
| Should seem revoitins 'No
na Ifs beast j., Hyde to his creator Is the EN-
woman ySana 5hss they s,o make 50 much fuss
But, in Stovenson'S virile conception, bad and
w no
they have with flying kites. The sexual fiaid
and the business field AFRO. thinks the author.
she two best I md for hS sna Of cruelty
people see and confound,
There is, no ,sick-room sontimentaity in
who have been writing about him in tho news
papers. say Stevenson is hypochondriac. and
necessary that thore should be some such
reason Sc s Why hi not come
@ M the Hntsd saes But theirs ean
be no faint OF eilGminacy or weakness left on
slender. strong-eyed and serious man. who
seams to be seeing souls unclothed, or hearing.
Foo There Is no point Of Il" Contact e WITH m
XSqr 70, Of spIrit ana th,onght and habit and
may restore equai, hardihood to the body.
every one hopes. What but = daring and hardy
have carried out so rough an enterprise as u
voyage to America in the Storage, continued
There are dozens on Of points &c" Of interest in
Stevenson's other books about which reader
would naturally desire to ask the authors
ideas and get glimpse mt the sources OF his
inspiration and information.
The, soma, Of the Blind Sailor in Treasure
Island and tho Suicide Clubs odd history are
two OF these, The first suggests the whole sub
ject OF sailors shanties and liz u good ey-
ample OF the way they run:
Sixteen men In the dead mans chest
Heish no. and q bottle OF ruml
The Suicide Club was % creation OF Steven
sons imagination. Tho idea was reached by n
will
friend. Yet, oddly enough, the existence OF
such club in Austro Hungary has actually
been reported in the newspapers since the pub
location OF the story.
QUEER WRINKLES.